Auctions America by RM Hartung Auction - Results
With more than 2000 lots offered - all at no reserve - the auction had to be held over three days, from November 3-5. The popularity of some of the rarities within Hartung's collection meant 45 US States and nine countries were represented amongst the keen bidders.
Aside from its sheer size and diversity, what was notable about Hartung's collection was the fact that nothing was restored. While several of the cars consigned were in running condition, none were what you would call concours! Some had been decorated or modified with various accessories sourced over the years, but virtually the entire collection was kept in 'as found' condition.
Being in the salvage and scrap metal business, Hartung had access to all manner of abandoned and junked vehicles, which explains how he was able to amass such a large collection. Incredibly, the vast majority of items are reported to have been sourced within ten miles of Hartung's home in Glenview, Illinois (north of Chicago). The collection resided in a 10,000 square foot, dirt-floor shed Hartung constructed in the mid 1970s.
Despite looking like a junkyard to the outside observer, the collection was carefully sorted and grouped into specific themes and areas. Hartung had opened his collection to the public, but viewing was strictly by appointment. When Hartung died in May, 2011, his longtime partner, Marjorie Cox, decided to sell off the collection through Auctions America by RM. With no reserve across the entire auction, there were some bargains to be had, with many of the cars offered selling for under US$10,000 each. A couple of notable exceptions to the rule, and amongst the top sellers across the entire auction, were the 1950 "BMW" Veritas and 1950 Edwards R-26 roadster.
Based on BMW 326/328 running gear, Veritas were created by the German trio of Ernst Loof, Georg Meier and Lorenz Dietrich after World War II. Most Veritas machines were race-inspired road cars with sleek, but fairly conventional styling by German coachbuilders, Spohn. However, the Hartung example looked like a refugee from the Motorama shows of the 1950s. The reason for this is that the car was believed to have been sent back to Spohn for substantial body modification.
While they did 'normal' bodies, Spohn became more notable for their flamboyantly-styled custom creations, usually identified with heavily modified front ends and ostentatious tailfins. Spohn's custom creations were popular with US servicemen stationed in Germany in the 1950s, as they were reasonably cheap to purchase and have modified in the war-ravaged country. A few were brought back to the USA when those same servicemen returned from overseas duty, and this example was likely one of them. One of the more bizarre of the 'barn find' vehicles that made up the Hartung collection, the Veritas sold for US$195,500.
The Edwards R-26 was equally as intriguing as the Veritas, and is suspected to have been pivotal in US concours history. San Francisco industrialist, Sterling Edwards, was alleged to have been inspired to create the car bearing his own name after spotting an Italian Cisitalia sportscar in Europe in 1948. With the desire and means to build his own Cisitalia, Edwards contracted a number of industry 'names' of the period to build a tubular framed sports convertible, with an aluminium body and all-round independent suspension. Power was supplied by a Ford V8-60 flathead engine, with a Ford 3-speed manual transmission. In this configuration, it won a number of races for sports cars in the US in 1950, most notable of which was the Pebble Beach race, where Edwards' car also won the Concours d'Elegance held in conjunction with the race meet for the first time. While it's one of the premier events for 100-point restored classics now, back then the Pebble Beach concours catered more toward competing sports and GT cars.
After its initial racing season, the R-26 (derived from Edwards' race number) went through a few changes and a few owners before Hartung acquired it. By the time it was auctioned, the Ford engine had been replaced with a Jaguar XK120 inline six, the chassis had been modified, with a section coming from a 1950s era Ford, and the interior had been fitted with more road-oriented dashboard controls, but the body was original. Being substantially modified from its original concours-winning condition no doubt affected the appeal of the R-26, but it still fetched and impressive US$143,750 at the Auctions America by RM event, the second best seller amongst the cars on offer.
Other exotics included a 1959 Fiat Spyder, a Barker-bodied 1937 Rolls-Royce 25/30 Sport Sedan, 1933 Thrupp & Maberly-bodied Rolls-Royce 20/25, 1959 Bentley and rare 1927 Henney limousine. Oddities included a 1936 Lincoln Zephyr with 'twin grille' conversion. A small number of these were created by Willard Morrison, primarily for aesthetic reasons,
in the late 1930s, and were apparently fitted to Fords and Packards as well as Lincolns. One of the most eye-catching lots from the auction, the twin grille Zephyr sold for US$11,213.
A C1930 Worthington Tractor conversion was notable for the fact it was based around a 1932 Ford Model B front end, wheels and chassis. It sold for US$2,588. Another unusual lot was the 1925 Hertz D-1 touring car. After he had already made his name in taxicabs and car rental, John D. Hertz produced a small quantity of cars under his own name between 1924 and 1927, based on the Ambassador marque he had purchased. Like the rest of the Hertz fleet, the D-1 was available for hire. The Hartung example was advertised as being in taxi service in the Chicago area until 1934, and included documentation and memorabilia from the period. This very rare vehicle sold for US$12,650.
Fords featured prominently in the Hartung collection, especially Model As, of which Hartung appears to have been a big fan, with almost 40 in the collection. Of special significance was the 1931 Model A Deluxe roadster, one of Hartung's most regularly used vehicles, and one of several in running condition. This particular Model A was also finished with a number of authentic 1930s accessories. Those rare accessories were no doubt a factor in the vehicle selling for US$25,300, the top price amongst the Model As on offer. Model Bs, a Model C and several Model Ts were also included in the lots auctioned by Auctions America by RM. The oldest and most significant was a 1909 Model T. Despite not having its original body, the 1909 example was significant in that came from the first year of Model T production and still featured its original engine. As such, it sold for US$15,525.
Vintage speed equipment to suit early Fords, like RAJO, Frontenac and Rutherford OHV conversions, sold well, in some cases better than complete cars! Hundreds of spare parts, including guards, radiator grilles, headlamps, wheels, radios, engine parts and more were also on offer.
One of the 'newest' vehicles on offer was a 1959 Edsel Ranger sedan, which had suffered the ravages of water damage from a wet corner of the shed. It was closely followed by a rare 1958 Cadillac Eureka hearse. Suitable only for parts, but boasting a very good interior, the Edsel went for US$230, while the Cadillac, which was in better condition, sold for US$7,475.
Away from the cars, Hartung's number plate collections were just as impressive, with over 5,000 plates covering all 50 US states, as well as Canadian territories. Prices and quantities varied, with the biggest amount coming from Hartung's home state of Illinois. Some groups featured pre-World War I and similar early porcelain plates in varying quantities. Arizona and West Virginia collections proved to be the top sellers, going for US$29,900 each.
Another lot of interest was a vintage illuminated garage sign. More than ten feet long, and with the outline and details of the tourer-style automobile picked out in hundreds of lights, this rare piece on automobilia sold for US$34,500. Arguably the oddest lot consigned, and one with no particular relevance to cars, was a copy of the first edition of Playboy magazine (the one with Marilyn Monroe) which sold for an amazing US$8,625.
At its conclusion, the Lee Roy Hartung Collection sale had generated US$4 million in sales, with 100 percent of lots reported sold, and was seen by Auctions America by RM president, Donnie Gould, as a fitting end to the 2011 auction season.
"We were honored to have been entrusted with the sale of the famed Lee Roy Hartung Collection and are very pleased with the results," Gould said.
"The sale was a terrific celebration of one man's drive to collect and preserve American history. Collectors recognized the range of rare ownership opportunities the sale presented, as was reflected in the strong attendance and results."
For further information on upcoming events, or to view complete results from the Lee Roy Hartung Collection sale, go to www.auctionsamerica.com
All images copyright Darin Schnabel, courtesy of Auctions America by RM.
